Gage for shingles.



' G. RUSSELL.

GAGE FOR SHINGLES.

APPLICATION FILED 1020.18. 1913.

1,1 15,741, I Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOT0-L|THO wASHlNGmN. n. c

C. RUSSELL.

GAGE FOR SHINGLES.

APPLIOATION IILED D3018. 1913.

1,115,741. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-"SHEET 2.

3a 16 F1516- 15 /5 WIN-Q21! 1H" NORRIS PETERS c0.. PHOTO LITI: 'v. WASHINUIUN, IJ uv UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

CALVIN RUSSELL, 0E PENN YAN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO CARRIE H. RUSSELL, 0F

PENN YAN, NEW YORK.

GAGE FOR SHINGLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed December 18, 1913. Serial No,'807,4=05.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, CALVIN RUSSELL, c1t1- zen of the United States, and resident of Penn Yan, county of Yates, and State of.

New York, have invented an Improvement in Gages for Shingles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gages for shingles and more particularly to a gage for use in connection with the laying of shingles upon a roof or like structure, and has for an ob-" ject to provide a device which Wlll accurately determine the amount of space re quiredbetween adjacent pairs of shingles of the same row in order to cover the roof in an economical-as well as an efficient manner.

It has for a further object to provide a gage by means of which the shingles of one row may not only be properly spaced with respect to each other, but may be laid accurately with respect to the row or rows adj acent thereto and in break-joint relation so that the entire structure presents a complete unitary appearance covering all parts of the r00 It has for a further object to provide a gage for shingles which, when placed in operative position, automatically engages or coa cts with the adjacent shingles to hold and maintain the gage in fixed relation while the shingle or shingles to be laid are placed in position and secured, whereby one man may both adjust the shingles and drive the nails.

My invention consists of novel features of construction, all of which are hereinafter fully set forth and more specifically defined in theclaims. j i

For the purpose of illustrating my inven. tion, I have shown in the accompanying drawings the forms thereof which are at present preferredby me, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, but it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 represents a plan of a gage embodying my invention shown in operative position; Fig. 2 represents a sectionon line afi w ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a planof another embodiment of my'invention; Fig. t represents a plan of a gage embodying my invention showing the same in operative position and adapted for use'with shingles of a different shape than shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 represents a section on line y f of Fig. 4, and Flg. 6 represents a section on line z2 of Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

' Referring to the construction more particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, l designates the body portion of my shingle gage, the same comprising a plate of suitable material having a laterally disposed shelf 2 ad acent one edge thereof, which forms a support for the shingle while being laid or nailed in place. It will be noted also that this shelf 2 forms a suitable handle by means of which the gage'may be moved from one position to another, as will readily be understood. Furthermore, the shelf2 is prefer-- ably of the same length as the plate'l, which latter in the present instance has alength corresponding to the width of a shingle so that when it is placed in'position upon a roof or upon other shingles of the roof it may accurately determine both the lateral and vertical positions of the new shingle to be laid. 8 designates a strip of material secured to or formed integral with the plate 1 to provide an abutment adapted to contact with thelower edges of a shingle or shingles already placed in position, the said abutment operating in conjunction with the templet 4 to accurately determine the relative position of two adjacent and successively laid shingles. The templet 4 in the present instance extends a suitable distance beyond the shelf or support 2, and is provided at a suitable place in its length with a transversely disposed bar 5, which projects laterally at each side thereof in order to overlap the respective edges of the adjacent shingles, and thus serve as a marker or indicator by which the position of the nails or fastening devices for the shingles may be determined. It will further be noted that the templet 4 is secured to the opposite side of the plate 1 from the shelf or support 2 and has a width equal to the space which is to exist between adjacent shingles of the same row, and therefore it will be evident that when the gage rests flat upon the roof or upon shingles already laid there will be a pocket 6 at each .side of the templet 4 into which a portion of the respective shingles is adapted to seat. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the gage is resting upon a shingle 7 while the two shingles 8 and 9 each have their juxtaposed edges seated respectively in the pockets 6, having been previously properly spaced apart by the gage and in which position they were fixed by the shingle nails 10. The space between these previously laid shingles S and 9 now receives the templet strip 4- and positions the gage in laying a shingle in the row above the shingles S and 9. The gage as shown in Fig. 1 is in position ready to receive and place a shingle of the row im mediately adjacent to the row having the shingles 8 and 9, and all that is now necessary is to seat the shingle upon the shelf or support 2 with its sides in alinement with the sides of the plate 1, when it may be nailed in position by inserting the fastening devices at the points indicated at 11. This operation is repeated along the length of the roof.

In order that the gage may be firmly held in its correct position after it is released by the workman for the purpose of nailing the new shingle in place, I have provided a friction plate 12 (preferably of metal) which is suitably secured to the bottom of the plate 1 and extends a suitable distance over the respective pockets 6 and in position to be pushed up under the shingles, such as 8 and 9. which are received in the pockets 6. and through frictional contact normally holds the gage in operative position.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification,

wherein the templet 1 is designed to give the minimum space between acent shingles and it is therefore of much smaller width than shown in Fig. 1. The brace members 13 are provided to give stability to the gage. otherwise the construction is the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This modified form of gage is employed in the same manner as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have shown another modification for use where the shingles are double pointed or substantially diamond shaped; and the templet member is therefore substantially triangular in form, as shown at 141, and provided with intersecting arms 15 which serve the purpose of the shelf 2 of the construction shown in Fig.1. In this modification the friction plate of the former construction is shown at 16 and is made sub stantially triangular in order to conform to the angular form of the shingle, though the function and action of the same are identical with that heretofore described. The arms 15 are provided with a bottom plate 18 over which the newly laid shingle is to be placed and may be formed with the opening 19 to permit escape of any collections which may become liberated from the shingles. If desired this plate 18 may be omitted.

A base member 17 is fixed at a suitable point between the legs of the shelf members 15 and is preferably of'suflicient height to form a suitable hand grip or means by which the gage may be moved from one position to another.

In this construction the shoulders or abutments 3 receive the oblique lower edges of the shingles 8 and 9Fand position the gage so as to receive and position the shingle to be newly laid (dotted lines), just as the combined action of the abutment 3 and templet 1 perform the same result in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, and this construction is therefore the equivalent of the parts 3 and 1 of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the operation of the device where the shingles to be laid are substantially rectangular at the bottom,- the gage shown in Fig. l is used and is placed in position upon the roof preliminary to laying the first row of shingles. This'row is started by locating the juxtaposed edges of two shingles respectively in the pocket 6, in which position they abut the respective edges of the templet 4 and are thus correctly spaced apart and may be permanently fixed to the roof by the nails or fastening devices 10. 0nd row of shingles is superposed upon the first row, but with the spaces staggered. The entire second row is thus laid with the correct space between each pair of shingles, and it is now possible to begin the third row of shingles. This is done by placing the gage in its former position between a pair of adjacent shingles of the second row and with the said shingles accurately fitted into the pockets as will. be understood. The shingle to be laid is then placed upon the shelf or support 2 with its side edges alined with the corresponding edges of the body plate and since the gage is substantially fixed, owing to the friction contact of the plate 12, it may be released by the workman, leaving him free to drive in the fastening nails at the points 11 as shown in Fig. 1, which points are determined by the marker member 11 which serves as a guide. The following shingles of this row are placed and secured in a similar manner and the operation is repeated for each of the succeeding rows until the roof is completed.

Where the shingles to be laid are substantially double pointed or diamond shaped,the overlapped relation and spacing is accurately determined by using the modified gage member shown in Fig. 1 and its method of use is exactly similar to that described for the gage of Fig. 1. In this modified type of gage the plate 16 serves the purpose of a frictional gripping device. for holding the gage in place with respect to the adjacent shingles and permits the free operationof placing the; new shingle and fastening the same. The plate 18 in The sec the gage of Fig. 4 serves as a backer for the shelf member 15. In the use of these shingles a guide by which the location of the fastening devices may be determined is not required, as the shape of the shingle itself may be taken as its own guide.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a shingle gage providing a support for positioning a shingle to be laid, and a templet in fixed relation to the support and adapted to be interposed between a pair of previously laid shingles of the next lower row for positioning the gage and thereby the new shingle to be laid.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a shingle gage providing a support for positioning a shingle to be laid, a templet in fixed relation to said support for co-acting with previously laid shingles of the next lower row for positioning the gage and thereby the new shingle to be laid, said gage having a transverse member for locating the position of the fastening devices for the new shingle to be laid.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a shingle gage providing a support for positioning a shingle to belaid, a templet in fixed relation to said support for fitting the space between previously laid shingles of the next lower row to position the gage, and an abutment member secured to the body of the gage at the opposite side from said sup port and forming with said templet a pair of pockets adapted to receive the respective side portions of adjacent shingles of the same row.

l. In a shingle gage, a body portion provided with a guide or abutment at each side thereof, each adapted to co-act with the. respective side portion of adjacent shingles of the same row, a templet secured to said body portion and projecting from said shoulders in order to co-act with the juxtaposed side edges of previously laid shingles of the next lower row, and a support upon the opposite side of said body portion and in fixed relation to said templet for positioning a shingle to be laid with respect to previously laid shingles.

5. In a shingle gage, a body portion provided with a guide or abutment at each side thereof, each adapted to co-act with the respective side portion of adjacent shingles of the same row, a templet secured to said body portion and projecting from said shoulders in order to co-act with the juxtaposed side edges of previously laid shingles of the next lower row, a support upon the opposite side of said body portion and in fixed relation to said templet for positioning a shingle to be laid with respect to previously laid shingles, and means for frictionally engaging the previously laid shingles of the next lower row for holding saidgage in operative position.

6. In a shingle gage, a body portion provided with a guide or abutment at each side thereof, each adapted to co-act with the respective side portion of adjacent shingles of the same row, a templet secured to said body portion and located between said shoulders in order to co-actwith the juxtaposed side edges of previously laid shingles of the next lower row, a support upon the opposite side of said body portion and infixed relation to said templet for positioning a shingle to'be laid with respect to previously laid shingles of the next lower row, means for frictionally engaging the previously laid shingles of the next lower row for holding said gage in operative position, and transverse members secured to said body portion for locating the position of the single fastening devices.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

CALVIN RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

J. F. JORALEMON, LUIsn E. DEXTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

